Silas ceispin



S. CRISPIN.

. Breech-10ading Fire-arm. No. 5i.722.

Pnt entvd Feb. 5, 1867.

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IMPROVEMEIJT IN BREBGH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: v

Be it known that I, SILAS CnIsPIN, of New York, of the county of New York, ,in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Breech-Loading Fire-Arm's; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the. accompanying drawings, making part of this application. a

Previous to my invention various breech-loading guns have been devised; and used, many of them adapted to the use of metallic cartridges and involving a variety of difi'ering combinations, each supposed to embody certain advantages. From practical experience and experiment I am led to believe that in abreech-loading gun (adapted to the use of metallic cartridges) the following conditions of parts and their arrangement and operation together, are most desirable, viz, a solid breech-block, which is certainly the simplest, so arranged as to rotate toward and from the rear of the chamber of the gun, since this kind of motion in the breech-block possesses less liability to derangement from, rust, dirt, or any of the numerous obstructions which are likely to occur in the'working parts of a gun, in service or use. It is also desirable, I believe, to have the rotating breech-bl0ck entirely separate and disconnected from the lock, or any of itsattachments, since thereby the lock is closed and sealed, freefrom rust and dirt, to which it is exposed where it is in the breech-block, or any part of it connected thereto; besides, the point of support can beplaced further from the axis of rotation than it can he in that class of arms in which the support-is afforded by a part of the lock, or by some device connected with the latter- To" embody m a compact and in every way practical and desirable method, these leading features of construction is the object of my invention, which consists in the employment of a solid rotating breech-block, with its axis ofrotation at its anterior inferior portion, having no motion of translation, and being entirely uncombined with or disconnected'from the lock mechanism; Also in the employment, in connection with such a breech-block, of

' a'rotating or vibratory catch lever and spring, arranged and operating as willbe presently described. Also, the combined arrangement of the solid rotating breech-block, and lever,'aud spring catch, with the cartridge extractor, all as hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved arm, I will proceed to describe more particularly its construction and operation, referring by letters'to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and in which- I Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a fire-arm embracing my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the parts in different position.

In the several figures I have denoted the same part by the same letter of reference.

A is the barrel of a gun, and B its rear open end, into which the cartridge is inserted. H is the stock, and E the solid rotating breech-block, which is hung on a stud or axis at D. This breech-block E is formed with a long curved handle or lever, G, to which is pivoted at f a catch or pawl, F, provided with a spring, g, and adapted to catch over thebar h of the'lock frame or metallic portion of the stock. On the curved portion of the breechblockll is formed or arranged a projection, 01, which acts as an extractor, taking hold, forward, of the fianch of the cartridge case (3; and extracting or withdrawing the latter, as the breech-block is thrown into the position seen at fig. 2, (for reloading.) I is the hammer, which is intended, through the medium of a pin', or in any desirable manner, to explode the cartridge. At fig. 1 the parts are shown-as the arm would be loaded and ready for firing. After the discharge the breech-block E is thrown .down into the position seen at fig. 2, (by unlatching the catch E and depressingthe lever G, in a manner familiar to those skilled in the use of breech-loading gun's,) whereby the extractor d is. caused to pull back and throw out of the gun the empty case, when the chamber may be reloaded and the brecch-blockagain moved back, as seen at fig. i

It willbe seen that by the use of the solidbre eoh-block E having a rotatory or vibratory motion around its axis D, and entirely iliscounccted fromthe lock mechanism, the simplest and most desirable movable breech is afi'orded, for it is less liable to clogging than any other'kind of moving-breech, while, having no motion of translation, it must open and close very freely. By having no connection between the breech-block and lock mechanism, the latter may becntirely closed or sealed, which is evidently a great desideratum. It will be seen that the point of support is placed further from the axis of rotation in my improved arm than it can be in one where the breech-piece is supported by some portion of the lock, which is another advantage arising from my invention. It will be understood that in my improved arm the breech-piece may be most readily worked by the swinging lever G, and that by the nr rangement of parts shown, the empty cartridge case maybe most ehectually withdrawn end discharged byth'e action of the extractor d, operetedby menus of the lever of breech-block, In as gun constructed as shown and described by me, there ismo liability of the points (if-support being forgedff as in guns where the distance between point of support and axis of rotation is short, ov'ring'to having lock sup-,- port. I am aware that a solid breech-block has been used, as, for instance, in the Peabody and Gocherani 'guns; but in these the block ishinged at its posterior portion, and hence (unlike. mine) there is more 0!: less 'frictionor wedging motion where the face of the breech-block 'comes against the reonend of 'th'e hnrreior chamher, which is of course disadvantageous. In the Burnside gun (though not adapted to the use of metallic cart- 4 ridges) there is a hreech piece hinged somewhat like mine, but his breech-block contains a portion of thechnmben;

and besides, the bottom of said; chomber has a, motion of translation.

Having fully explninedthe chai ecteristic features which my improved gun poesesses,nnd in which features its advantages nest, whetI claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Petent,'is-

The elnplojment of a solid, plane-faced, vibratory or rotsting 'hrecch-bl ock; having its axis at its anterior inferior portion,- in'comhinc-tion with 'theiever G sndspring catch, when 'thero'isvno conneotion between such patts'end eni portionof the lock work, and the whole is mmnged to opein'te as specified. v 1

' I also, claim the-combined nrrcngeme'ntas set forth of the extractor, with the bre eohhlook and swinging lover or long mm, for the purposes set forth.- e I 'In'testimony whereof I hsve hereunto set my hcndend seal this at be 13cc.

, suns omens. I Witnesses:

, Ammnw Dn LAW, J. N. Momma. 

